70 FRUIT GARDEN. 



his attention to the native kinds. An interesting coin 

 munication from him on this subject may be found in the 

 Albany Cultivator for January, 1843, in which he says 

 that in the vicinity of New York, south of the highlands 

 of the Hudson, he finds that the Isabella grape ripens 

 quite as well when planted in a level field, protected from 

 the north and west winds by woods or hedges, as on decliv- 

 ities. " Several of my vineyards," he observes, " are thus 

 located, and, as far as I can perceive, the fruit ripens at 

 about the same time, and is of the same quality as those 

 planted on steep side-hills. I think, however, that north 

 of the highlands, side-hills would be preferable." 



A plan adopted by Mr. William Wilson, of Clermont, 

 near Philadelphia, to secure his foreign grape-vines, grown 

 in the open air, against the severe frosts of American win- 

 ters, is well deserving of attention. The vines are left 

 their whole length after they get their fall trimming in 

 October, and in November are let down from their supports, 

 laid on the ground at full length, fastened down with pins, 

 and covered lightly with earth. In this state they are left 

 all winter. In April, as soon as the weather will permit 

 they are uncovered, and left lying on the ground ten or 

 twelve days. About the first of May, they are trained to 

 their stakes or poles, of the length of ten feet and upwards. 

 By the middle of June the stakes are entirely covered by 

 new shoots of the vine, and with plenty of fruit, which 

 ripens in September. Before adopting this plan, Mr. Wil- 

 son says his fruit was frequently blasted* and mildewed, but 

 by its aid he has since succeeded in training vines twenty 

 or thirty feet long, some of which ran up fruit-trees 

 adjacent, whilst others, after attaining eight or ten feet in 

 height, were stretched horizontally. He seldom gathered 

 fruit within three or four feet of the ground, which was 



